Lint remover



June 26, 1962 N. B. VIAN 3,040,352

LINT REMOVER Filed May 9, 1960 24 F l G. 5

2 Fl 6. 3 Fl 6. 2

// 50 INVENTOR.

NYDIA B. VIAN 7 BY F G. 6 W* 7 ATTORNEYS aemssz Patented June 26, 1952 3,640,352 LINT REMQVER Nydia B. Viim, Woonsocket, RI. (Box 344, Covina, Calif.) Filed May 9, 1950, Ser. No. 27,740 6 Claims. (Cl. -104) The present invention relates to a device for removing lint from the surfaces of articles of clothing and the like. More particularly, the present invention relates to a lint removing implement that includes a tubular roll of adhesive surfaced material that is frictionally retained in position on the implement and that is adapted to be successively unwound after each delinting operation.

There have been many lint removing devices proposed in the past which have utilized some form of material having a tacky surface that was adapted to remove lint and hair from the surface of cloth. Although these prior known devices have been somewhat successful in their operation, they were complicated in structure, and therefore difiicult to use in the delinting operation. More, over because of the structural deficiencies in the prior known lint removers it was difficult to reload the lint removing material therein, thereby prohibiting the successful commercial use thereof. The present invention is extremely simple in the constructional features thereof, yet it incorporates a novel concept in the construction of the body portion thereof whereby a tubular roll of material having a tacky surface may be frictionally retained thereon. The body portion has a special configuration that coacts with the tubular roll of adhesive material so that the roll of adhesive material is positively retained thereon without the use of special fasteners until removed by the user of the device. The lint remover embodied herein is also relatively small and compact and has no moving parts so that it may be stored or carried in the pocket or pocketbook and is furthermore formed in a relatively flat configuration so that little space is consumed in the carrying thereof.

Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a compact lint removing device that is simple in construction, easy to use, has no moving parts and is adapted to successfully remove lint, hair and the like from cloth surfaces. I

Another object of the present invention is to provide a lint removing implement having a handle and a head portion formed in a particular configuration for frictionally retaining a roll of lint removing material thereon without the use of special fastening elements.

Still another object is to provide a lint removing de vice wherein areplaceable roll of material having atacky surface is adapted to be frictionally engaged on the head portion of the body portion that comprises the lint removing device.

Still another object is to provide a tubular roll of lint removing material having an adhesive surface for use in a lint removing device wherein perforated lines are formed therein at spaced intervals so as to facilitate the removal of the used portions of the lint removing material after each delinting operation.

Still another object is to provide a cover member for use in a lint removing device that is adapted to overlie the exposed adhesive portions of the material used to remove the lint, thereby protecting the lint removing material when the device is not in use.

Other objects, features and advantages of the invention will become apparent as the description thereof proceeds when considered in connection with the accompanying illustrative drawings.

In the drawings which illustrate the best mode presently contemplated by me for carrying out my invention:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the lint removing device embodied herein showing the manner in which a tubular roll of material having a tacky surface is positioned on the head of the elongated body portion of the device;

FIG. 2. is a top plan view of the lint removing device with the tubular roll of lint removing material removed from the body portion thereof;

FIG. 3 is a side elevational view of the elongated body portion illustrated in FIG. 2 showing one of the surfaces thereof formed with a concave configuration;

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the preformed tubular roll of lint removing material that is adapted to be slidably mounted on the elongated body portion of the lint removing implement;

FIG. .5 is a top plan view of the tubular roll illustrated in FIG. 4 with a portion thereof unwound to show one of the perforated lines formed therein; and

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the cover member for the delinting device that is adapted to enclose the adhesive surface thereof when the device is not in use.

Referring now to the drawings and particularly FIG. 1, the lint removing device embodied herein is illustrated and is generally indicated at 10. The lint remover 10 com prises an elongated, substantially flat body portion generally indicated at 12 that is shown more clearly in FIGS. 2 and 3. The elongated body portion 12 includes a handle 14 and an enlarged head member 16 integrally joined to the handle 14, the handle 14 and head member 16 being formed of relatively fiat stock and preferably constructed of a light Weight wood or plastic material. It is, of course, understood that the device may be constructed of light weight metal materials, such as aluminum, without departing from the spirit of the invention.

As shown in FIG. 3, one of the surfaces 18 of the head member 16 is formed with a concave configuration so as to reduce the thickness of the head member in the central I area thereof but defining a generally enlarged portion 20 at the outermost end thereof. Due to the taper defined by the concave surface 18, the thickness of the head member gradually increases toward the enlarged portion 20, this gradually increasing thickness of the head member 16 facilitating the assembly of the delinting material thereon as will be described hereinafter.

As shown in FIG. 1, a tubular roll of lint removing materialv generally indicated at '22 is adapted to be placed on the head member 16 of the body portion 12. The tubular roll of material 22 is adapted to slidably fit on the head member 16 and for this purpose is preformed in a tubular shape which has a substantially rectangular configuration in cross section asillustrated in FIG. 4. The material which defines the tubular roll 22 is preferably formed of paper, cloth or the like in an elongated form, and has a tacky or pressure sensitive material 23 adhered to one surface thereof. The other surface of the rolled material is formed smooth, such as in an adhesive tape, thereby providing for easy unwinding of the roll. By preforming the tubular roll 22 in the manner as shown, the proper dimension of the opening therein is obtained so that the tubular roll may be slidably moved onto the head member 16 of the body portion 12 in snug relation therewith.

V In loading the tubular roll of material 22 onto the body portion 12, it is mounted on the handle 14 and slid outwardly thereon toward the head member 16. Since the inside dimension of the tubular roll 22 is proportioned to just fit over the inner end of the head member 16, as the tubular roll is slidably moved toward the enlarged or outer end portion 20, it will be forced into frictional engagement therewith and accordingly will be positively retained on the head member 16. Thus, it is seen that additional elements for retaining the tubular roll 22 in place on the body portion 12 are not required and the tubular roll 22 will be positively maintained in position thereon, solely by reason of the specific configuration of the head member 16.

With the tubular roll 22 mounted on the body portion 12, the device is now ready for the delinting operation and may be brushed or stroked over a cloth material using both large surfaces of the tubular roll during the brushing action. Once the delinting operation is complete and the lint and hairs have been removed from the cloth, the used portion of the tubular roll 22 may be removed by simply tearing off a performed portion thereof. For this purpose a plurality of perforated lines, one of which is indicated at 24 in FIG. 5, are provided and are so placed along the length of the delinting material that the portion of the material removed from the roll is only that area that has been used during the delinting opera tion. It is understood that after each delinting operation the used portion of the tubular roll may be removed by tearing along the perforated line 24 that first appears when the roll is unwound. I

Oftentimes it is desirable to carry the lint remover it) in the pocket or pocketbook since it is light in weight and relativeiy small in size. However, since the adhesive or tacky surfaces, of the tubular roll 22 would be exposed and therefore would pick up lint and dirt in the pocket or pocketbook, it is desirable to provide a cover member therefor. A cover member indicated at 26 is illustrated and as shown is preferably formed of a flexible plastic material and includes a pair of spaced projections 28 formed on the inside surface adjacent one edge thereof. Formed on the inside surface of the cover member adja cent the other edge are three spaced projections 30 between which the projections 28 are adapted to be received. The width of the projections 28 are formed somewhat larger than the spaces between the projections 30 and therefore are adapted to be wedged in the spaces so that the cover 26 will be retained in an overlying position with respect to the tubular roll 22. Thus the lint remover may be carried in the pocket or pocektbook and the tacky surfaces of the tubular roll 22 will be protected from loose dirt and hairs that would normally adhere thereto.

It is seen that the device embodied herein is extremely simple in construction, and it is this simplicity that is the heart of the invention. Thus the lint removing implement is not only easy to use but is compact in construction which enables it to be easily carried on the person. Furthermore the device is easy to recondition after a lint removing operation and the elimination .of the use of fastening elements enables the new tubular roll to be positioned on the head portion without the need of special tooling.

While there is shown and described herein certain specific structure embodying the invention, it will be manifest to those skilled in the art that various modifications and rearrangements of the parts may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the underlying inventive concept and that the same is not limited to the particular forms herein shown and described except insofar as indicated by the scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. In a device for removing lint from the surface of clothing, an elongated body portion comprising a handle and a head member integrally joined to said handle, said head member having at least one surface thereof formed with a concave configuration wherein the outermost portion of said head member is enlarged with respect to the inner portion thereof and with respect to the handle, a roll material having a tacky surface formed thereon, facing outwardly, said roll being preformed in a tubular like construction and proportioned to slide over the handle and to snugly fit on said head member of said elongated body portion, said enlarged portion preventing accidental removal of said adhesive roll from said head member, and a cover member adapted to overlie the surfaces of said roll and protecting the tacky surfaces thereof when said device is not in use.

2. In a device for removing lint from the surface of clothing, an elongated body portion comprising a handle and a head member integrally joined to said handle, the outermost end of said head member being enlarged with respect to the remaining portion thereofand with respect to the handle, a roll of material having a tacky surface formed thereon facing outwardly preformed in a tubular configuration, said roll of material being proportioned to snugly fit over said elongated body portion, said tubular roll being mounted on said body by sliding it over said handle toward said head member until it frictionally engages said enlarged end, and a cover member adapted to overlie the surface of said roll thereby protecting the tacky surfaces thereof when said device is not in use.

3. in a device for removing lint from the surface of clothing, a relatively flat, elongated body portion havirlg a handle to which a head member is integrally joined, one of the surfaces of said head member being formed with a concave configuration so that the outermost end of said head portion is enlarged in thickness with respect to the thickness dimension of the remaining portions thereof, a roll of material having a tacky surface that is adapted to be exposed upon the urlrolling thereof, said roli of material being preformed in a tubular configuration, the inside dimension of said tubular roll being proportioned to slide over said handle and the major portion of said head member but being adapted to frictionally engage the enlarged thickened outermost end thereof and thereby being adapted to be lodged thereon, said roll being perforated at spaced intervals to facilitate removal of used sections of said roll after a delinting operation, and a cover member formed of flexible plastic material and dimensioned to overlie said roll for protecting the tacky surface thereof when said device is not in use.

4. In a device for removing lint from a surface, a relatively flat, elongated body portion including a handle and an enlarged head member integrally joined to said handie, one of the surfaces of said enlarged head men1- her being formed with a concave configuration so that the outermost end thereof is thicker with respect to the remaining portions thereof, a tubular roll of material having a tacky surface formed thereon facing outwardly, the inside dimension of said roll being proportioned to slide over said handle and the major portion of said head member, but being prevented from sliding over the thickerred outer end of said head member.

5. In a device for removing lint from a surface as set forth in claim 4, said tubular roll being perforated at spaced intervals to facilitate removal of used sections of said roll after a delinting operation.

6. In a device for removing lint from a surface as set forth inclaim 4, a cover member formed of a flexible plastic material and adapted to overlie the tacky surfaces of said roll in locked relation thereon, thereby protecting said tacky surfaces when said device is not in use, opposed projections and grooves formed on the surfaces of said cover member adjacent the ends thereof, said projections being received within said grooves for locking the ends of said cover member together.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 289,879 Almond Dec. 11, 1883 885,276 McDonald Apr. 21, 1908 2,401,842 Slater June 11, 1946 2,430,785 Scattone Nov. 11, 1947 2,528,602 Magit Nov. 7, 1950 2,708,761 Bergquist May 24, 1955 2,807,039 Butler -Sept. 24, 1957 

